Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

PTSD care for adults and children

Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a disorder that can develop after you experience or witness a scary, shocking, or traumatic event or series of events. Anyone can develop PTSD, and the triggers can vary greatly.

Some events that can cause a person to develop PTSD include:

Car accident

Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse

Natural disaster or terror attack

Physical or sexual assault

Serious injury

Spending time in a war zone

Sudden death of a loved one

Not everyone who experiences events such as these will develop PTSD. Each person’s unique personality, as well as inherited factors, may put some people at higher risk for PTSD than others.

To make an appointment with a behavioral health expert call:

Southeast Michigan: (800) 422-1183

South Central Michigan: (800) 531-3728

PTSD symptoms

PTSD symptoms may appear right away or may not appear for months or years after a person experiences a traumatic event. Symptoms can vary greatly, even for the same person.

PTSD symptoms may include:

Avoiding places or events that are associated with the traumatic event

Feelings of anger, guilt, or stress

Flashbacks, or reliving the traumatic event

Lack of interest in once-enjoyable activities

Nightmares or trouble sleeping

Trouble remembering details of the event

Unwanted memories of the traumatic event

PTSD symptoms in young children

Most children and teens exhibit PTSD symptoms that are similar to those of adults. Young children -- those younger than 6 -- may show symptoms such as:

Bedwetting after having been potty-trained previously

Recreating the traumatic event during playtime

Selective mutism (not talking in certain situations or seeming to forget how to talk)

PTSD treatment for adults

Our adult patients with PTSD meet in a group setting in order to help support one another. You’ll attend eight to 16 group sessions, practicing what you learn in between sessions, with possible individual or group follow-up sessions afterward. We provide cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with PTSD. A gradual exposure to fear and anxiety can help you manage these feelings and the challenges of daily life.

Your psychiatrist also may prescribe medications to help you manage the symptoms of PTSD. These can include medications to treat depression and anxiety.

Schedule Appointment Online

If you can't find a date/time that works for you please call the provider’s office. Not all appointment types at all locations are available online.

Henry Ford Health System is committed to ensuring our Deaf or hard-of-hearing patients and visitors have equal access to all services. We provide the appropriate auxiliary aids and services, including qualified sign language interpreters, TTYs and other assistive listening devices, at no cost. To request assistance, call 313-916-1896 or email CommunicationAccess@hfhs.org.